Fancy attachment for knitting machines



July 23, 1940.

R. H. LAWSON FANCY ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1936 l nu nun u u n fi -y? y mi.

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Jnly.23, 1940. R. H. LAWSON FANCY ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 C- 2 XVI/518170118: i flazzfiyflamsm July 23, 1940. R LAWSON 2,208,699

FANCY ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING. MACHINES Filed June 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 23, 1940. 'R. H. LAWSON 3 FANCY ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 50, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4- 2 AWE/v m: WBEETHLQWJWE Arr y Patented July 23, 1940 UNlTED A S I FANCY ATTACHMENT FoaKNiTTING Macnmas Robert H. Lawson, Pawtueket, It; I., assignor to I Hemphill Company,

Central Falls, R. 1., a

corporation of Massachusetts Application June 30, 1936, semi No. 88,197

, In Canada Septemberftl, 1935 l 6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for forming ornamental pattern work in knitted fabrics such as are commonly produced on multi-feed knitting machines.

The case is a continuation as to all common subject matter of applications Ser. Nos. 706,082 and 56,991, respectively, filed in United States.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a typical multifeed knitting machine to which the invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a section showing parts of a selecting device applied at one feeding station of a multi-feed knitting machine and the manner in which the novel features of this invention are applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, showing the manner in which one of the lower selecting plungers is controlled by means of the device herein described;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, greatly enlarged, illustrating certain features of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, partly'in section, showing the invention as applied to one selecting station of a multi-feed knitting machine, the parts being illustrated as seen from above.

Very satisfactory pattern work has been formed on multi-feed knitting machines by means of manually operated plungers controlling needles through jacks or extensions of the needles having removable butts thereon. These unitary selecting devices are provided for each feed of a multi-feed knitting machine as illustrated in the United States applications referred to above, and the different figures and conformations capable of being produced by said machine are dependent only upon the number of feeds spaced about the machine and the number of separate steps of selection provided by each series of manually operated plungers or the like and the removable butts with which they cooperate. Variations in shape of figures and variations as to the appearance of a completely ornamented fabric are practically unlimited.

One of the purposes of this invention is to further magnify the possibilities of the basic pattern means herein illustrated and more definitelydescribed and illustrated in the applications above mentioned. By automatic control ,of certain of the plungers, previously manually operated, it is possible to space the ornamental designs or fig-- ures and to vary the pattern effects in different parts of the fabric, this not being practicable with the original mechanism. It is further pos,- sible to make figures of greater size and of dif:

ferent proportions than have been found practicable previously, g

Referring to the figures of drawings, a multr feed knitting machine having a frame I, legs 2,

a rotatable needle cylinder 3, and driving mechanism generally indicated at 4 has been shown. The needles may be of the latch type or of the spring beard type and are preferably controlled by a series of unitary cam assemblies 5, only two of which have been illustrated in Fig. 1, but it being understood that a plurality of these cam units must be spaced about the machine equivalent to the number of separate feeding stations employed to deliver yarn to said needles. necessary that the cam structures be unitary and individual for each feed, but they may be grouped or formed about the cylinder as a complete unit. It is further contemplated to apply the invention to knitting machines having stationary needle cylinders and cams movable relatively thereto.

Referring to Figs. 2-5, the needle cylinder 3 is shown in greater detail being attached by means of a series of 'bolts 6 to a large ring gear '1 for driving the same through apim'on 8 which .is in turn rotated Withshaft 9 by means of bevel gears Ill and II, bevel gear II being rotated from a source of power through pulley l2, a clutch and other necessary gearing (not shown); .A ring I3 between-cylinder 3 and gear 1 serves to maintain the rotating cylinder assembly in proper relationship to the frame of the machine allin a manner Well known in the art. A series of plungers l4, herein shown as twenty in number but not necessarily restricted to any particular number since it is quite possible to employ more or less of the same, are mounted to slide radially in upright elements l5 and I6 suit ably supported on the base of the machine. As before stated, a number of these units are spaced about the machine one for each feeding station thereon and it is the intention that plungers be manually set in a position to engage saw-tooth butts l1 on jacks l8 for the purpose of raising said jacks and their cooperating needles so that another butt l9 may engage a cam for raising both jack and needle to take yarn and knit it into a loop at that particular fabric forming station. It is to be understood that the saw-tooth butts 7 ll are capable of bing removed by means of breaking or in any other satisfactory manner, and that these butts will be removed from jacks 'inacc'ordance with the particular pattern which is to be knitted.

Theupper and lower ones of the group of plungers generally indicatedat l4 and which will be hereinafter referred to by numerals 20 and 2! respectively, are not to be controlled manually, but are to be automatically moved to and from butt engaging position by means of levers 22 and 23 pivoted on an upright spindle 2 2 which has been threaded into the base of the machine. The top plunger 20 functions upon a removable butt or upon a non-removable butt as describedlater. These levers are maintained at the proper levels to engage plungers 20- and 2| by means of sleeves or spacers 25 and 26. ,Each

lever has a toe 2? and an oppositely directed arm 23, the rounded end of which engages a slot 29 in the end of each of the plungers. A spring 38 attached at one end to arm 28 and at its other end to a suitable connection as shown at 3i projecting from element H5 serveslto maintain lever 2'3 or 23 as the case may be and its 00- operating plunger inwardly or in the butt engaging position.

Closely adjacent spindle 24 another similar but larger spindle has been threaded or-otherwise suitably attached to project upwardly from the base of the machine. A sleeve 33 is rotatable on spindle 32 and has a keyway cut therein for the reception of key 34 extending lengthwise thereof. At the uppermost end of said sleeve and on a level with lever 22 has been mounted a disc 35 having a key slot therein engageable with key 34 so that said disc must rotate with sleeve 33. Another similar disc 35 cooperates with lever 23 and is spaced from the first disc by means of a spacer 3? and from the base of the machine by means of sleeve 38 having integral therewith a ratchet wheel 39. The construction provides for rotating both discs 35 and 36 as ratchet 39 is moved by mechanism hereinafter described. Each of the discs 35 and 36 has a series of butts thereon which are to be removed by breaking or by other satisfactory methods. Thetoes of levers 22 and 23 ride upon these butts and in the event the toe of one of the levers is allowed to fall into the space left where a butt has been removed, the cooperating lever under the influence of its spring will move its plunger inwardly to engage b'utts on such jacks as have butts at that level.

Each ofthe discs 35 and 3's is provided with a plurality of removable butts 4i] and these butts may be frangible so that they can be broken off or may be removed in any other satisfactory way. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention I have shown 52 butts on each disc but it is to be understood that any suitable number of butts map be employed. While I have shown one disc operating on the topmost plunger and another on the lowermost plunger, I may employ more discs functioning upon. a greater number of plungers depending upon the particular type of pattern workwhich it is desired to make. For a definite number of plungers it is advisable to limit the number of discs for the reason of retaining as many separate steps served by the manually operated selecting plungers so that'the size and shape of individual figures produced for ornamentation will be as great as possible; also, for the sake of simplicity and low cost of construction.

As was disclosed in United States Application 56,991, a hinged element 4! pivoted at 42 serves to hold those plungers'which'are in operative position inwardly to contact jack butts under the influence of spring 53. This element M also locks plungers which are moved out of engagement with 'jack butts in such a 'positio=n that those plungers can not accidentally move-into operative position. As has been shown. in Fig. l this element 4! must not be of a length to contact the top and bottom plungers and 24 since they are to be moved entirely under the control of levers 22, 23 and discs 35 and 36.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, a bushing M inserted in the base of the machine ha rotatable therein a spindle 45. This spindle has adjustably fixed by means of set screw to a projecting arm 4'. and atthe upper end I have secured a lever 33 carrying a pawl 49. Pawl 1 engages the ratchet teeth on ratchet Wheel 38 and under influence of cam 52! attached to the ring gear '5 by means of screws M, will ratchet discs and throughout the space of one toot on the wheel 3.9, i. e., one butt M3, during each revolution of the needle cylinder, this amounting to a complete rotation of discs 35 and every twelve revolutions of the cylinder in the particular embodiment shown and described in this case. Levers' ll, 438 and pawl 39 are moved to the posi tion shown in Fig. 3 by means of spring attached to lever 48 and to a screw or to any other fixed projection on the machine. A pin or screw 54 limits movement of a counter-clockwise direction as shown in this Fig. 3. A coil spring 55 is fixed at one end to pawl 35- and at the other to a washer 55 which is incapable of rotating on screw E-l upon which pawl 3-9 swings.

This spring '55 maintains the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth. In Fig. 5 these elements areshown just as they have advanced the ratchet and discs 35 and 36 one complete space due to cam Eli sweeping past lever ll.

In the simple embodiment of the invention shown only one cam 55 has been fixed to ring gear I, but it is to be understood that I may err.- ploy more -of these cams depending upon the particular type 'of pattern work whicl is to be done and upon the number of times during one revolutionof the needle cylinder I find it necessary to move discs 35 and 36 to change the position of plungers 28 and 2-! during that single revolution.

As shown in Fig. 2 thetop plunger 29 functions upon a'butt'58 which is not removable as are the other butts ll. This conserves the number of steps afforded by removable butts fl, and plungers 20 are to be used whenever all pattern work is to be discontinued for a complete revolution of the needle'cylinder, that is, for as many courses as there are separate feeding stations spaced about the machine; The lower plunger 2! shown functioning upon the bottom removable butt ll can be used to inhibit the pattern work being done at any group of needles whereupon that bottom buttis maintained at corresponding jacks. It can be seen that the top plunger 25 might a1so-be employedto work on a removable butt an'd'thatoth'er plungers might also be controlled by similar discs to increase the number of. possible combinations of pattern which I desire to make. '-'It is possible to completely blot out .all pattern work for a numberof courses, or certain predetermined figuresin the pattern may be dis continued for a plurality of courses and then other figures discontinued for courses following tospace-sa'id figures according to a great number of possible combinations all tending to give the knitter a much greater choice of design which will be apparent'on the finished fabric.

As a'n'example of the first type of work, assume that diamonds or any other shaped figures are being produced-on a multi-feed machine, these number of feeds and the number ormaiiuan controlled selecting plungers availablei By'u'se of the manually controlled plungers only, such a machine would complete a series of these figures on each revolution so that the said figures would not be spaced in a course-wise direction. During the production of such figures on one revolution of a machine none of the automaticallycontrolled plungers would be in active position, however, on starting the next revolution of the needle cylinder, cam 50 would strike levers 41 ratcheting each disc throughout the space of one tooth so that levers 22 will project plungers 20 into a position to engagejack butts 58, it being understood that as cam 50 rotates about the machine this movement of the pattern discs takes place at every feeding station to nullifythe pattern work at that feed. According to the presence or absence of butts 40 on the pattern discs the top plungers 20 may remain in position for one or more revolutions thus preventing the pattern from appearing on the fabric during these revolutions. Just as soon as lever'22 at each feed is caused to move its plunger out that feed will again function to produce its part of the pattern.

In the second example it would be necessary to employ top plungers 29 and bottom plungers 21, these plungers working on groups of jacks some having butts broken away at the top others having their lower butts broken off. In one revolution the top plungers may be brought in working upon certain butts left on jacks so that alternate figures, for example, will be prevented from appearing on the fabric, and during the next revolution, the bottom plungers will be brought in while the top plungers move out so that the intermediate figures will cease to appear on the fabric. In this way the pattern will cease to appear on the fabric at certain areas during each revolution, but by the proper selective control of plungers, the figures may be staggered or caused to appear in whatever manner the knitter desires. It is not considered necessary to go into the operation of the machine for producing other patterns since a great multitude of the same are possible and further examples would serve no purpose in this case.

It is further possible by the control of some plungers and not of others to form strips in the fabric showing one certain type of pattern Work and adjacent thereto, other strips formed of an entirely different pattern, and thus to produce fabric which may have acenter portion showing ornamentation of one kind and border portions plain or ornamented with an entirely different type of fancy work. greater variation in the size of individual figures either in length or in width. By controlling plungers, to inhibit the part of the pattern made at some only of the feeds, it is possible to make complete figures and then partial figures.

For purposes of illustration plungers, jacks, and jack cams have been shown which provide for corresponding needles knitting when selected, i. e., when plungers pushed in contact butts on the jacks, and either tucking or floating at other times. It is evident that the invention is applicable to the reverse condition, that is, where selected needles tuck or float, and it is intended that such a construction be covered in the claims of this case. The principles of the invention are also applicable to selective pattern work other than tucking and floating, e. g., such work as plating and floating, plating and reverse plating, and wrap striping. Such Work as above outlined Other possibilities are is tofbe included in the term ornamental stitches. V I I It is to be understood that the device herein described may work on jacks, needles, sinkers, pressers or any other knitting instrumentalities which enter into the production of ornamental fabric. It is quiteclear that either sinkers or needles might be very effectively controlled for plating and reverse plating, and tuck and float work may be produced on spring needle machines, the pattern forming and pattern inhibiting means working upon pressers such as are commonly employed to press the beards of these spring needles. 3 3

The-invention has been described with reference to a, more or less specific form of the same and with a general description of the operation and'diiferent types of fabric that may be knitted, but these are to be'taken asexamples only and no limitations are intended to be imposed except those recited in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a multi-feed knitting machine of the type described, the combinationof knitting instrumentalities, one group of said knitting instrumentalities having removable butts thereon for purposes of selecting the same to control the forming of ornamental or patterned fabric, a plurality of selecting elements movable to and from a position-wherein they will engage said form the basic design of the fabric and the other Y group of said elements having means associated therewith for moving them to and from butt engaging position, said means functioning with pattern controlling discs having removable butts thereon and a spindle for rotating said discs in timed relationship with the movements of said knitting machine whereby during certain revolutions of the machine some of said other group of elements will function to inhibit the production of said basic pattern.

2. In; a multi-feed knitting machine the combination of a plurality of individual selector units spaced about the machine having pattern elements movable to and from active position and means associated with said support and elements for maintaining the elements in either position whereto they have been moved manually, other elements similar to those which are manually movable, a pair of spindles adjacent each said unit, levers on one spindle connected to said other elements and also functioning on pattern discs rotatable on the second spindle, a ratchet wheel on said second spindle and a pawl having means associated therewith for advancing said ratchet wheel during each revolution of the needle cylinder.

3. In a circular multi-feed knitting machine the combination of knitting instrumentalities, some of said instrumentalities being provided with removable butts for purposes of selection, a plurality of units spaced about said machine with superposed selecting elements individually arranged therein, said instrumentalities being rela-- tively movable with respect to the selecting elements, the majority of the latter being individually and radially movable manually to and from butt engaging position and means functioning therewith to retain them in either of these positions, the remainder of said elements being under the control of selecting means which functions in timed relationship to the movements of said these elements into butt engaging position to nullify the pattern being produced under'the influence of the said majority of pattern elements.

4. In a circular multi-feed knitting machine, the combination of knitting instrumentalities, some of said knitting instrumentalities being provided with removable selecting butts for the knitting of patterned fabric, a plurality of individual selecting units spaced about the machine having supporting means, a series of plungers individually and radially movable to and from butt engaging position, means including a spring for maintaining some of said plungers in that position and for retaining said last mentioned plungers in an inactive position when moved thereto manually, others of said plungers being positively connected to pattern controlling means Which functions in timed relationship to the movement of said knitting machine to nullify the knitting of patterned fabric.

5. In a circular multi-feed knitting machine a plurality of pattern elements including supports and a plurality of superposed selecting plungers movable to and from active position within said supports, one group of said plungers being manually movable to and from active position, means for maintaining the group of said plungers in active and inactive positions, said means including resilient means to maintain selected ones of the group of plungers in active position, other knitting machine for the PHIDOSQOff projecting plungers similar to those in the first group, a pair of spindles adjacent to the outer end of said plungers, levers individual to each of the second group of plungers, said levers rotating on one of the spindles and connected to the said other plungers at one end and having a toe thereon for engagement with pattern means rotatable on the second spindle, a ratchet wheel on said second spindle for rotating said pattern means, a pawl engageable with said ratchet wheel, a cam fixed to a rotating element of said machine and means for engagement with said cam and connected to said pawl for causing the same to advance the ratchet wheel and pattern means.

6. In a circular multi-feed knitting machine the combination of a plurality of selector units, said units each having operatively associated therewith a plurality of pattern determining elements movable to and from an active position, said elements being divided into two groups, one group being manually and radially movable to and from an active position for selecting knitting instrumentalities to eflect the knitting of a basic pattern, the other group of said elements being movable by pattern means movable in timed relation to the movement of knitting instrumentalities within said knitting machine, for controlling this other group of elements to nullify the pattern tending to be produced under the influence of said manually controlled pattern elements.

ROBERT H. LAWSON. 

